Stem for smoking pipe



June 1970 E. E. HELMAN 3,515,150

STEM FOR SMOKING PIPE Filed Aug. 20, 1968 EARL E. Hum/v IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent "ice U.S. Cl. 131-207 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A replaceable stem for a smoking pipe having a mouthpiece at one end and a smoke treating member at the other. The smoke treating member includes a central elongated hollow cylindrical member having plural parallel prongs radiating outwardly from the outer surface thereof and a roll of relatively thick absorbent paper wrapped in several layers about a portion of the exterior of the cylinder over the prongs for retention thereon, the roll being covered by an outer layer of relatively thin smooth paper which also engages the prongs and is retained thereon thereby. The upstream end of the cylinder is open and the downstream end thereof is closed, and the wall portion adjacent to the downstream end has a passage therethrough for smoke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The stem, which extends partially into the shank of the bowl when in use, comprises a bit with an elongated hollow cylinder open at one end and sealed at the other. The cylinder has an opening in its cylindrical surface adjacent the sealed end. A roll of absorbent paper is wrapped around the cylinder and is held in place by prongs which extend outward from the surface. A thin layer of smooth paper is applied over the roll and is also held in place by the prongs. This arrangement is disposed in the pipe with the sealed end in the shank. The smooth layer promotes ease of insertion and removal; the absorbent paper collects moisture and retains it; the smoke enters the cylinder via the opening through the surface and passes therethrough into the bit for use by the smoker.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing a part of a stem and a part of a bowl of a tobacco pipe according to the present invention, the stem being shown partially in elevation and in longitudinal section, and the bowl being shown in elevation;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-section of the stern, taken on line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a pipe having a stem according to the present invention therein; and,

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the free end portion of the bit according to the present invention, taken on the line 44 in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Refering now to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a smoking pipe using a stern having a bit and a bowl 12 having a shank 14. The bit has a smoke conducting cavity 16 extending entirely therethrough and the shank has another such cavity 18 communicating with the bowl.

3,515,150 Patented June 2, 1970 The free end portion of the bit includes an integral axially extending hollow cylindrical portion 20 supported by axia'lly extending vanes or spokes 22 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. A hollow cylinder or tube 24 having an external diameter such that it may be placed and held in the portion 20, is positioned within the free end portion of the bit as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The cylinder 24 has a downstream end 26 that is open and an upstream end that is closed at 28. An opening 30 through the wall of the cylinder 24 adjacent to the upstream end permits smoke to be drawn into and through the same.

Pointed prongs 32, which are parallel, extend outward at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 24. In the region of these prongs (and thus leaving a section of tube 24 adjacent end 26 bare) a relatively thick roll of absorbent paper 34 is wrapped around the surface of the tube and held in place by the prongs. A thin layer of smooth paper 36 surrounds roll 34 and is also held in place by the prongs.

After use as indicated, the entire stem and its roll of paper 34 can be thrown away and replaced.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such as not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

'1. In a throwaway stem for a smoking pipe comprising:

an elongated hollow cylinder sealed at one end and open at the other, said cylinder having an opening through its cylindrical surface adjacent said sealed end; and

a plurality of spaced apart prongs secured to said surface and extending radially outward therefrom.

2. In a stem as set forth in claim 1 wherein said prongs are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cylinder.

3. In a stem as set forth in claim 2 further including a roll of absorbent paper concentrically wrapped about said surface and held in position by said prongs.

4. In a stem as set forth in claim 3 further including a layer of smooth paper wrapped about the outer surface of the paper roll and also held in position by said prongs.

5. In a stem as set forth in claim 4 wherein said layer is relatively thin and said roll is relatively thick.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 769,546 9/1904 Koch 131-261 X 1,329,396 2/1920 Gerhard 131--203 1,540,762 6/1925 Cordes 13l--204 1,875,422 9/1932 Crocker 131204 1,967,585 7/1934 Minton 131-263 3,163,168 12/1964 Lytton 13l2l2 X 3,420,242 1/1969 Boukair 131-211 X FOREIGN PATENTS 3,162 1862 Great Britain. 3,566 1909 Great Britain. 314,218 6/1929 Great Britain.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

